History, Med School and travel Unraveled

Category: Oh wow!

Most people have heard of Hemophilia, often called the “Royal Disease” due to Queen Victoria’s X linked mutation being passed down to countless European royal families. It is a blood clotting disorder of which Hemophilia A (Factor 8 deficiency) is the most common. But have you heard of Hemophilia B (Factor 9 deficiency)? First recognized … Continue reading Royal Disease

Did you know? That if a patient has Streptococcus bovis in their blood it is customary to screen them for colon cancer? The bacteria looks kinda pretty in this photo from Cancer Therapy Advisor. Microbiology is one of my favorite topics! Previously scientists stated that 100 trillion bacteria reside in/on our bodies but that 1970s … Continue reading Streptococcus bovis bacteremia and colon cancer

I recently came across a fantastic resource for current developments in medicine. It is a weekly subscription to The Scope, check out one of their short and sweet articles below on the Placebo Effect. Nocebo Just like you feel worse when your friends remind you that you're working Friday night, patients feel worse when they're … Continue reading Placebo Effect

The rod of the Greek god Asclepius, entwined by a serpent, is a symbol of medicine, often confused with Hermes staff (the caduceus). Asclepius was the god of healing and medicine. The symbol has a supposed hidden meaning associated with the Dracunculus medinensis, parasitic nematode that uses the human as a host. The worm is ingested through … Continue reading Rod of Asclepius

"What kind of doctor do you want to be?" the conversation typically goes like this. Friendly Face: "What kind of doctor do you want to be?" Me: "Well, I usually have a specialty flavor of the month, this month it is obgyn, last month it was pain medicine and physical medicine and rehabilitation. I really … Continue reading Residency Sorting Hat